Honda on the rise and aiming to be feared again; for KTM, no surprise: "Double the budget"

Beirer commented on Honda’s situation in MotoGP and isn’t surprised by the growth shown in 2025.

In the recent era of MotoGP, it’s been the European manufacturers achieving the best results, with Ducati dominating the standings. Yamaha and Honda fell into a crisis that prompted a rule change, introducing concessions that have been helping them since 2024. Honda has made the best use of them, as the 2025 results allowed it to move from rank D to rank C: this means it will enjoy fewer allowances. Yamaha, on the other hand, will continue to have full concessions, which will be very important in a year when it must develop its brand-new V4 engine.

At HRC they are proud of the work done and of having moved up a grade, something they could have avoided by being crafty at the last GP in Valencia. They preferred to be fair, and in 2026 they will work with fewer aids. The hiring of Romano Albesiano as the new technical director and other internal changes in the racing department have worked; the path has been set, and in the next championship we should see an even more competitive RC213V.

Pit Beirer, interviewed by Speedweek, explained why he is not surprised by what the Tokyo manufacturer managed to do in the latest MotoGP season: "People are amazed that Honda is getting closer. It’s natural that they are, because they keep introducing new developments and have double the budget".

Between concessions and a very large budget, HRC managed to make a breakthrough. KTM’s Motorsport Director pointed out that, despite this situation, KTM stayed ahead: "This makes me even prouder of what our people are doing. Honda has closed the gap, but they certainly haven’t passed us".

In 2027 there will be new technical regulations, as well as a new tire supplier (Pirelli), and it will be a major challenge for all MotoGP factories. Beirer is confident about the future: "Everything we’ve learned in MotoGP in recent years will be incorporated into the new bike. I’m incredibly excited about the 2027 project, but we won’t lose sight of 2026".

KTM was the first MotoGP manufacturer to show on social media a 2027 prototype with the 850cc engine. Some suggest that conducting the test so far in advance and publicizing it so widely was a move to attract investors. The new owner, Bajaj Auto, is looking for partners ready to invest in the racing department, also because there’s a risk that Red Bull will end the historic partnership at the end of 2026. Gottfried Neumeister, KTM’s CEO, even hinted at the possibility of signing a deal by last Christmas, but that didn’t happen. We’ll see if there are updates in the coming weeks.

2026 will be an interesting year for the rider market as well, since the vast majority of contracts are expiring and there could be many changes for 2027. It’s a given that the Honda HRC team will want to sign top riders to have a better chance of fighting for the very top positions. The big dream is the return of Marc Marquez, whose renewal with Ducati is not guaranteed.

A rekindled interest in Jorge Martin, already pursued during 2025, cannot be ruled out. Not to mention Pedro Acosta, another top-level rider at the center of many market rumors: some have him nailed on for Ducati, but until there’s an official confirmation, different scenarios cannot be dismissed. There could be several surprises looking ahead to 2027.